Clock generator circuit using phase modulation technology and method thereof

ABSTRACT

A clock generator circuit, comprising: a multi-phase clock signal generator for generating a plurality of clock signals having a same frequency but difference phases according to a reference clock signal; a modulation device for generating a phase modulation signal through Delta-Sigma modulation; and a phase modulator, which is electrically coupled to the modulation device, for selecting one of the clock signals to be a modulated clock signal according to the phase modulation signal.

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 092115156, filed Jun. 3, 2003, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The invention relates to a clock generator circuit and a method thereof, and more particularly to a clock generator circuit using phase modulation technology and a method thereof.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] Spread spectrum can reduce energy having a converged frequency and thus decrease the electromagnetic interference on other electrical devices. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a spread spectrum circuit using a phase-locked loop (PLL). The PLL includes a phase frequency detector (PFD) 11, a charge pump 12, a loop filter 13, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 14, and a divider 15. The spread spectrum circuit in the conventional PLL is configured such that a modulation signal is applied to a connection between the charge pump 12 and the loop filter 13 in order to change the output voltage of the loop filter 13 (i.e., the control voltage of the VCO 14) and thus the output clock frequency of the VCO 14, thereby achieving the object of spread spectrum.

[0006] When the modulation signal is not applied to the PLL, the VCO 14 is configured to generate an output clock having the frequency which is N times that of a reference clock. The output clock generated by the VCO 14 is divided by the divider 15, and then compared to the reference clock in the PFD 11. The comparison result determines whether the current source in the charge pump 12 absorbs or outputs current. Thus, the charges flow into or out of the capacitor of the loop filter 13, thereby influencing the output voltage of the loop filter 13, wherein the number of charges is directly proportional to the phase difference of the comparison result. Because the loop filter 13 is electrically coupled to the VCO 14, the control voltage of the VCO 14 and thus the output clock frequency thereof change as the output voltage of the loop filter 13 changes. Thus, the frequency difference between the output clock frequency and the reference clock is reduced. When the output clock approximates N times of the reference clock, the feedback operation of the PLL enables the VCO 14 to lock the reference clock. Once the VCO 14 locks the reference clock, the output clock frequency is substantially the same as N times of the reference clock frequency except for some phase differences.

[0007] Consequently, when the modulation signal is not applied, the output voltage of the loop filter 13 is a constant value while the output clock of the VCO 14 has a constant frequency. However, in order to achieve the object of spread spectrum, the modulation signal is applied to the connection between the charge pump 12 and the loop filter 13. The modulation signal is for interfering with the input voltage of the loop filter 13 in order to change the output voltages of the charge pump 12 and the loop filter 13, and thus the control voltage of the VCO 14. The waveforms at points A and B of FIG. 1 are shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively, wherein point A is an input terminal of the VCO 14 and point B is an output terminal of the VCO 14. As shown in the drawings, because the modulation signal is added, the voltage value at the input terminal (point A) of the VCO 14 is changing such that its output clock frequency is also changing therewith, and the object of spread spectrum may be achieved.

[0008] However, the conventional spread spectrum method performed by applying the modulation signal to the PLL has the following drawbacks.

[0009] 1. Because the loop bandwidth of the PLL is smaller than the frequency of the modulation signal, the area of the capacitor in the loop filter 13 has to be enlarged, and thus the volume of the circuit device is also enlarged.

[0010] 2. The conventional method can only perform the center spread spectrum but cannot perform the down spread spectrum. In general, the condition of the up spread spectrum may have the problem that the speeds of other devices in the system are not sufficiently high, but the condition of the down spread spectrum is usually free from the problem of insufficient speed.

[0011] 3. Because the loop bandwidth of the PLL is too small, the waveform of the output clock of the VCO 14 turns into a quasi-sine wave, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, wherein its ideal frequency spectrum and actual frequency spectrum are illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B. As shown in the drawings, because the energy is converged in f₁ and f₂, the curve of the actual frequency spectrum cannot be a smoother curve, and the associated requirement and specification for the electromagnetic interference also cannot be met.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] It is therefore one of the objects of the invention to provide a phase lock loop circuit using phase modulation technology, wherein a modulation signal does not have to be used in the PLL of the circuit, so the capacitor area of the loop filter in the PLL does not have to be enlarged and the size of the circuit device may be effectively reduced.

[0013] Another object of the invention is to provide a spread spectrum circuit and method using phase modulation technology, wherein the method can be widely applied because it is adapted to not only the center spread spectrum but also the down spread spectrum.

[0014] Still another object of the invention is to provide a spread spectrum circuit and method using phase modulation technology, wherein the loop bandwidth of the PLL of the circuit is large, so there is no problem of seriously converged energy and the curve in the frequency spectrum chart may be smoother.

[0015] The invention achieves the above-identified objects by providing a clock generator circuit, comprising: a multi-phase clock signal generator for generating a plurality of clock signals having a same frequency but difference phases according to a reference clock signal; a modulation device for generating a phase modulation signal through Delta-Sigma modulation; and a phase modulator, which is electrically coupled to the modulation device, for selecting one of the clock signals to be a modulated clock signal according to the phase modulation signal.

[0016] Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiments. The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a spread spectrum circuit using a phase-locked loop.

[0018]FIG. 2A shows a waveform at point A of FIG. 1.

[0019]FIG. 2B shows a waveform at point B of FIG. 1.

[0020]FIG. 3A shows an ideal output waveform of the circuit of FIG. 1.

[0021]FIG. 3B shows an actual output waveform of the circuit of FIG. 1.

[0022]FIG. 4A shows an ideal frequency spectrum of the circuit of FIG. 1.

[0023]FIG. 4B shows an actual frequency spectrum of the circuit of FIG. 1.

[0024]FIG. 5A is a block diagram showing a spread spectrum circuit using phase modulation technology according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0025]FIG. 5B is a block diagram showing a circuit of a phase modulator according to the embodiment of the invention.

[0026]FIG. 5C is a block diagram showing a circuit of a phase modulator according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0027]FIG. 6 shows a waveform of an oscillation clock signal of the circuit of FIG. 5.

[0028]FIG. 7A is a diagram showing a circuit of a Delta-Sigma modulator according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0029]FIG. 7B shows a waveform of modulation values outputted from the modulation value generator of FIG. 5.

[0030]FIG. 8A shows an output waveform of the Delta-Sigma modulator of FIG. 5.

[0031]FIG. 8B shows an output waveform of the modulation value generator of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032]FIG. 5A is a block diagram showing a spread spectrum circuit using phase modulation technology according to an embodiment of the invention. The circuit includes a multi-phase oscillation clock generator 51, a modulation value generator 54, a Delta-Sigma modulator 53, a phase modulator 52, a divider 55, and a second phase-locked loop (PLL) 57. The multi-phase oscillation clock generator 51 may be a phase-locked loop (PLL), which is composed of a phase frequency detector (PFD) 511, a charge pump 512, a loop filter 513, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 514, and a divider 515.

[0033] The multi-phase oscillation clock generator 51 receives a reference clock signal and outputs a plurality of oscillation clock signals having the same frequency but different phases, and the waveforms of the signals are shown in FIG. 6. In the waveforms of FIG. 6, it is assumed that the oscillation clock signals have eight phases (P₀ to P₇) in one clock cycle. As shown in FIG. 6, the oscillation clock signals have the same frequency but slightly different phases. The modulation value generator 54 is for generating a modulation value. The Delta-Sigma modulator 53 electrically coupled to the modulation value generator 54 is for generating a phase modulation value in response to the modulation value. The phase modulator 52 electrically coupled to the multi-phase oscillation clock generator 51 receives the oscillation clock signals, and generates a modulation clock signal by selecting the phase (advance phase or delay phase) according to a phase modulation value generated by the Delta-Sigma modulator 53.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 5B, the phase modulator 52 includes a phase interpolator 59 for receiving the oscillation clock signal and performing the phase interpolation for output so as to obtain the modulation clock signals having more phases and the phase selector 58 selects one of the phases and outputs a modulation clock signal. Referring to FIG. 5C, which shows another embodiment of the phase modulator 52, the phase modulator 52 includes a phase interpolator 59 and a phase selector 58. The phase selector 58 receives the oscillation clock signals and selects two adjacent oscillation clock signals for output. The phase interpolator 59 receives the two adjacent oscillation clock signals, performs the phase interpolation, and then outputs the modulation clock signal according to these two adjacent oscillation clock signals.

[0035] In order to describe the technology of the invention more clearly, it is assumed that the modulation value is M, the Delta-Sigma modulator 53 is an one-order Delta-Sigma modulator, and the one-order Delta-Sigma modulator is implemented by a K-bit accumulator, as shown in FIG. 7A. This means that the Delta-Sigma modulator 53 performs one accumulating operation each time when the modulation value generator 54 transfers the modulation value M to the Delta-Sigma modulator 53. When the accumulated value exceeds 2^(K), the Delta-Sigma modulator 53 will output the phase modulation value (i.e., “1”). When the phase modulator 52 receives the phase modulation value, it performs the phase advance or phase delay operation with respect to the oscillation clock signals. This way is utilized because it is not desired to continuously perform the phase advance or phase delay operation in a short period of time, which causes the frequency to change too severely. Consequently, the method of this embodiment utilizing the operation of the K-bit accumulator may evenly advance or delay the oscillation clock signals by M phases in 2^(K) clock cycles. According to the above-mentioned principle, if the value M is set to be 357, and the value of K is set to be 10, which means that the Delta-Sigma modulator 53 is a 10 bit accumulator, 357 carry values are generated in every 1024 clock cycles. In other words, after 1024 clock cycles have been elapsed, 357 phases have been advanced or delayed, and the value M may be generated by the modulation value generator 54. Controlling the modulation value (M) outputted from the modulation value generator 54 may control the average frequency of the modulation clock signals outputted from the phase modulator 52. Of course, controlling the modulation value generator 54 from the outside also may detect the average frequency of the modulation clock signals so as to determine the modulation value (M) that has to be outputted.

[0036] Taking the phase delay as an example, it is assumed that the period of the oscillation clock signals is T₀ and the oscillation clock signals has P phases in one clock cycle. The phase modulator 52 delays or shortens at least one phase each time it receives the phase modulation value. For example, if one phase is delayed, the time for delaying one phase is T₀/P. The following equations may be derived after 2^(K) clock cycles have been elapsed: $\begin{matrix} {{2^{K}*T^{\prime}} = {{2^{K}*T_{0}} + {\frac{M}{P}*T_{0}}}} \\ {{T^{\prime} = {\frac{{2^{K}*T_{0}} + {\frac{M}{P}*T_{0}}}{2^{K}} = {\frac{\left( {2^{K} + \frac{M}{P}} \right)}{2^{K}}*T_{0}}}},{and}} \\ {{F^{\prime} = {\frac{1}{T^{\prime}} = {\frac{2^{k}}{\left( {2^{k} + \frac{M}{P}} \right)*T_{0}} = {{F_{0}*\frac{2^{K}}{2^{K} + \frac{M}{P}}} = {F_{0}*\frac{1}{1 + \frac{M}{2^{K}*P}}}}}}},} \end{matrix}$

[0037] wherein T′ denotes the modulated average cycle, F′ denotes the modulated average frequency, and F₀ denotes the frequency of the oscillation clock signals.

[0038] It can be understood, from the above-mentioned equations, that the average frequency of the modulation clock signals outputted from the phase modulator 52 will change with the variation of the value M after 2^(K) clock cycles have been elapsed. As the value M gets greater, the average frequency of the modulation clock signal gets lower. On the contrary, as the value M gets smaller, the average frequency of the modulation clock signal gets higher. According to the embodiment of the invention, it is to change the magnitude of the average frequency of the modulation clock signals by adjusting the value M, wherein different values M (e.g., M₁, M₂, M₃, . . . ) are utilized at different time intervals such that the average frequency of the modulation clock signals is continuously changing. In order to prevent the frequency from varying too severely, the invention utilizes the Delta-Sigma modulator 53 to diverge the phase modulation value and to make it evenly distributed over 2^(K) clock cycles so as to smoothen the frequency variation. The output waveform of the phase modulator 52 is illustrated in FIG. 7B, wherein M₁<M₂<M₃<. . . <Mn. It can be understood, from FIG. 7B, that the average frequency of the modulation clock signals changes as the value M changes. Thus, adjusting the value M to change the average frequency of the modulation clock signals can achieve the object of spread spectrum of the oscillation clock signals.

[0039]FIGS. 8A and 8B show output waveforms of the Delta-Sigma modulator 53 and the modulation value generator 54. It is clear from the drawings that the density of the output waveform of the Delta-Sigma modulator 53 gets larger as the modulation value gets greater, this is because the phase modulation value generated by the Delta-Sigma modulator 53 gets larger as the value M gets larger. Thus, the circuit of the embodiment of the invention can perform not only the center spread spectrum but also the up/down spread spectrum.

[0040] Of course, if the modulation clock signal is desired to have a smaller period jitter, the second phase-locked loop 57 may be utilized to reduce the influence of the period jitter and thus to obtain a waveform having a smoother first spread spectrum signal. If the average frequency of the modulation clock signal is too great, the divider 55 may be utilized to divide the frequency and generate a divided clock signal having the desired frequency. Then, the divided clock signal passes through a third phase-locked loop 56, and a second spread spectrum signal is thus obtained.

[0041] Compared to the prior art, the invention has the following advantages.

[0042] 1. It is unnecessary to add a modulation signal generator, which is for generating a modulation signal, to the PLL.

[0043] 2. Because it is unnecessary to utilize a modulation signal in the PLL, the capacitor area of the loop filter in the PLL does not have to be enlarged, and the size of the circuit device may be effectively reduced.

[0044] 3. The invention may perform the center spread spectrum as well as the single direction spread spectrum, such as the down spread spectrum, so it may be widely utilized.

[0045] 4. Because it is unnecessary to utilize a modulation signal in the PLL, there is no problem of excessively converged energy, and the curve in the frequency spectrum chart may be smoother.

[0046] In summary, the spread spectrum circuit and method of the invention may effectively improve the conventional art drawbacks, so it may be used in the industry and achieve the object of the invention.

[0047] While the invention has been described by way of examples and in terms of preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A clock generator circuit, comprising: a multi-phase clock signal generator for generating a plurality of clock signals having a same frequency but difference phases according to a reference clock signal; a modulation device for generating a phase modulation signal through Delta-Sigma modulation; and a phase modulator, which is electrically coupled to the modulation device, for selecting one of the clock signals to be a modulated clock signal according to the phase modulation signal.
 2. The clock generator circuit according to claim 1, wherein the modulation device further comprises a modulation value generator for generating a modulation value and a Delta-Sigma modulator for generating the phase modulation signal according to the modulation value.
 3. The clock generator circuit according to claim 2, wherein the modulation value is for controlling the average frequency of the modulated clock signal.
 4. The clock generator circuit according to claim 2, wherein the modulation value generator is for generating a modulation value according to the modulated clock signal.
 5. The clock generator circuit according to claim 4, further comprising a divider for dividing the modulated clock signal and outputting to the modulation value generator.
 6. The clock generator circuit according to claim 1, wherein the multi-phase clock signal generator is a first phase-locked loop.
 7. The clock generator circuit according to claim 6, wherein the first phase-locked loop comprises a phase frequency detector, a charge pump, a loop filter, and a voltage controlled oscillator.
 8. The clock generator circuit according to claim 1, wherein the phase modulator comprises: a phase selector for selecting two clock signals out of the clock signals; and a phase interpolator for outputting the modulated clock signal according to the two clock signals through phase interpolation.
 9. The clock generator circuit according to claim 8, wherein the phase of the two clock signals is adjacent.
 10. The clock generator circuit according to claim 1, wherein the phase modulator comprises: a phase interpolator for generating a plurality of phase-interpolated clock signal according to the clock signals through phase interpolation; and a phase selector for selecting one of the phase-interpolated clock signal to be the modulated clock signal.
 11. A method for generating a modulated clock signal, comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of clock signals having a same frequency but difference phases according to a reference clock signal; generating a phase modulation signal through Delta-Sigma modulation; outputting a modulated clock signal through selecting one of the clock signals according to the phase modulation signal.
 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein an average frequency of the modulated clock signal is controlled by adjusting the modulation signal.
 13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising a detection step of determining a value of the modulation signal by detecting the modulated clock signal.
 14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of outputting the modulated clock signal comprises: selecting two clock signals out of the clock signals; and outputting the modulated clock signal according to the two clock signals through phase interpolation.
 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the phase of the two clock signals is adjacent.
 16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of outputting the modulated clock signal comprises: generating a plurality of phase-interpolated clock signal according to the clock signals through phase interpolation; and selecting one of the phase-interpolated clock signal to be the modulated clock signal. 